By Arion Wright

Pornography websites can now register domain names of “.xxx” instead of “.com,” which creates a conflict for university websites.

This domain name will differentiate erotic material from other websites, but it can be a problem because a pornography website could potentially use domain names similar to colleges’ .edu addresses.

The International Creativity Management Registry recently started selling domain names to distinguish pornography websites from others, according to CNN.com.

Universities have started purchasing URL brands so pornography websites cannot register under a similar trademark of logo with a domain name of “.xxx.” This will eliminate the ability for pornography websites to be associated with universities.

Jason Schlafer, UK’s associate director of athletics marketing, said the university has registered trademarks that include: kentucky.xxx, universityofkentucky.xxx and bigbluenation.xxx.

UK bought these names as a step to prevent the conflict of interest, he said.

Schlafer is also attempting to register domain names associated with athletic teams before April, for example: ukcheerleaders.xxx and ukathletics.xxx.

Schlafer is an active member of the ICANN board, a nonprofit organization to protect internet protocol.

He said UK has a “sunrise plan,” which will be presented to the ICANN board in April. The proposal requests that no other website can use UK-associated names with the following domain names: .com, .edu, .gov, .int, .mil, net, .org and .arpa.

Registration for these names costs $329 per name for a three-year time period.

Schlafer said if a browser tries to view a site associated with UK’s trademark or logos with the domain name of “.xxx,” it will be blocked.

Kacy Weaver, a psychology freshman, believes that buying the domain names is a waste of time.

“This change will not change anything,” she said. “Why would money be wasted on that?”

UK should focus its interest on other problems, Weaver said.

However, though universities are trying to block pornography websites, the browser is able to view websites that may have words associated with universities with the domain name of “.xxx.”

Achmad Hidayatullah, an engineering freshman, said when he searched Eastern Kentucky University, “women’s booty shorts” appeared on Google, with the domain name of “.xxx.”

He said Internet viewers will be able to see this after a few pages searched through on Google.